January 2012 Grocery Challenge

123budget

Came in from sons parent eve at college to find switch on kettle totally broken - back out again to sainsbobs to buy a cheap kettle.....
couldn't resist the bakery bargains 6 teacakes 24p (got 3 packs - still loads left on shelf!), med sliced white bread 38p (got 3) and ttd vivalid potatoes 2kg for 25p (they are a little soft but ok for soups or I might boil, mash and freezer for fishcakes later on) Have added the whoopsies to signature but am not including the kettle.

Florenceem

I cooked Scotch Eggs in the oven years ago when feeding my six hungry children. Then as each child left to go to university - I filled their bedroom with foreign students!

Living_proof

The 21 year old Student Prince is back from uni for a week or so. The freezer is showing gaps already and I am struggling to meal plan, as he eats twice as much as I do and drinks milk by the pint. I would really struggle with a food budget if he were at home and I really admire any of you mums and dads out there who have two or three adolescent - twenty-something boys to feed. I hate to think what the boy would eat if he got up early and actually did anything!

Somebody mentioned a good deal for bananas - I had to buy 8 this morning as they go very quickly just at the moment and they were £2 at the Nisa. I had to laugh at the fluorescent yellow sticker shouting £1! at me, as though there is some merit in that. Then I noticed Lidl's leaflet - all these items for under £2!!! Fancy. I think we have lost the plot as consumers.

I look forward to everything getting back to normal towards the end of the month. I have a really busy time at work so we have to eat everything which has been cooked and frozen, with just a few fresh veg steamed to get our 5-a-day. But tomorrow I am doing the other half of the Christmas turkey breast in the slow cooker as I just can't keep up with the boy's appetite.

I hope you are all managing to keep going and within budget. I saw on the BBC website yesterday how some Greek mothers are abandoning their young children to the clergy, etc. as they simply can't afford to keep them. This isn't drug abuse or alcohol - it is simply the atrocious economic situation Greece finds itself in, so it rather puts our own woes into perspective doesn't it?

Florenceem

hex2 wrote: »

Ninno820 - sometimes it takes a long time to have an impact! A good 15 years in my case but going on maternity leave at 30 (after years of M&S ready meals) I remembered my home economics lessons and knew that things like sausage casserole, bread, soup and pizza were manageable in 80 minutes including writing out the method. From there I taught myself, and now am ok but that initial confidence to try went back to lessons at school. My mum is a good cook, but as the middle one of five chidren, limited funds and a small kitchen I never really got the chance to play. Both my sons love cooking, help me and very much look forward to cooking lessons at junior school.

Some RTC steak from the co-op stashed away in the freezer, along with a huge pork shoulder joint on half price offer. I have ten to feed for Sunday lunch so this will be perfect slow roasted.

I had cookery lessons at school - in my day - it was called domestic science. I didn't cook at home except for - the odd batch of fairy cakes - out of the Viota mix in a packet - oldies will remember them - you got green/red glace bits to put on your cakes. So I when I married at eighteen - had to learn quick!

Florenceem

Living_proof wrote: »

The 21 year old Student Prince is back from uni for a week or so. The freezer is showing gaps already and I am struggling to meal plan, as he eats twice as much as I do and drinks milk by the pint. I would really struggle with a food budget if he were at home and I really admire any of you mums and dads out there who have two or three adolescent - twenty-something boys to feed. I hate to think what the boy would eat if he got up early and actually did anything!

Somebody mentioned a good deal for bananas - I had to buy 8 this morning as they go very quickly just at the moment and they were £2 at the Nisa. I had to laugh at the fluorescent yellow sticker shouting £1! at me, as though there is some merit in that. Then I noticed Lidl's leaflet - all these items for under £2!!! Fancy. I think we have lost the plot as consumers.

I look forward to everything getting back to normal towards the end of the month. I have a really busy time at work so we have to eat everything which has been cooked and frozen, with just a few fresh veg steamed to get our 5-a-day. But tomorrow I am doing the other half of the Christmas turkey breast in the slow cooker as I just can't keep up with the boy's appetite.

I hope you are all managing to keep going and within budget. I saw on the BBC website yesterday how some Greek mothers are abandoning their young children to the clergy, etc. as they simply can't afford to keep them. This isn't drug abuse or alcohol - it is simply the atrocious economic situation Greece finds itself in, so it rather puts our own woes into perspective doesn't it?

One of my 3 Sons would look in the fridge - find all the leftovers - eg - bit of cooked cabbage/bowl of baked beans/odd yorkshire pudding - stick it all on a plate and heat it in the microwave - some of the concoctions were weird to say the least!

majjak

I've been whoopsie shopping Couldn't resist

Hit lucky again in Waitrose, did have to 'loiter' a bit but was chatting to the lovely lady making the reductions. No one else about so she was happy for me to take it - she said it would only get thrown away otherwise ! :eek:

Total cost before reductions - £84.04 ........ I paid £12.46 :D:D:D :j.

Also got some reduced milk in sainsbobs - 69p down from 1.55.

Have no room in the freezer now so I can't go shopping for another few days at least .

Will update sig shortly.

Meadows

linz4383 wrote: »

can i ask wot site u use to collect points and get sainsburys vouchers from please thanks

One site I use is Maximiles (had quite a bit from them in the last year) you can shop via them and also view the videos (3 times each) for extra points.

Long_tall_sally

NSD today but yesterday spent a bit in Sainsbobs & Home Bargains.

On the subject of school cookery lessons, I wasn't pleased recently when I provided all of the ingredients on a provided list for chocolate truffles which for my son meant gluten free cereal only to be then told by the cookery teacher (at the school that I work at) that she had added oats to them! My son had even told her that he couldn't eat oats. The whole lot ended up going in the bin because he couldn't eat them & nobody else liked them, presumably because of the g/f cereal that was in them.

Linz4383

Meadows wrote: »

One site I use is Maximiles (had quite a bit from them in the last year) you can shop via them and also view the videos (3 times each) for extra points.

thanks ill ave a look at that one

another NSD for me although the meal plan isnt goin too well lol as im still eatin leftovers from previous days least im not wastin ne food

LisaJane

£2 on cat food today, reduced from £2.99 though so not so bad. This is my first month at it so finding out a lot about what might be a realistic target for February. 19 days until payday!! I really need it!!!!!